


Hands

by whovianlucy



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27649766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whovianlucy/pseuds/whovianlucy
Summary: What could have happened if Belle had stabbed Mackenzie...
Relationships: Mackenzie Boyd/Jamie Tate
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Hands

The girl looked tiny, hidden away in that massive room. She was shaking, blue eyes disoriented and scared. Examining the peculiar situation, Mackenzie wasn't sure on how to deal with this. He may suffer from anxiety himself, but seeing someone else struggling confused him. He knew how annoying it is to receive well-meaning help that isn't really help at all, and he would hate to be the perpetrator of that. So, considering he didn't even know the girl, he decided it would be best to tread carefully.  
"Hey, what are you doing here? Are you ok?"  
He edged closer, but she stumbled further into the room with no reply.  
"Ok, fair enough, I wouldn't want to talk to me either. Is - is there anyone I can call for you?"  
She shook her head, and Mack got the distinct feeling that she wasn't fully there.  
"I'll get you a glass of water."  
The words felt ridiculous while they were coming out of his mouth, but he couldn't think of anything else to do. 

Gurgling of water and splashes as it collided with the polished glass masked the sound of empty footsteps behind him. He was running through his next course of action. His first thought was to call Jamie, but he struggled to see how he could help. The only other number he had from the village was Moira (the last person he wanted to call) however she was the only one who may be connected to her. His sister had apparently slept with half the village, after all!  
A sharp pain ran through the left side of his back. He flinched as he felt another pain from the same place. A small gasp came from behind him, and despite the throbbing, he turned to see the blonde girl. She was crying, slowly stumbling away. He noticed the blood on her hand first, and then the knife. A massive, bloodied, kitchen knife. He reached around to feel his back. A warm liquid coated his fingers. He had been stabbed.  
"What have you done?" Mack wanted to scream, but he could only manage a raspy whisper.  
Panic flickered through her eyes, "You're not Jamie."  
"No."  
The knife and glass had been dropped. Neither were sure when. The girl was crying even more know, her hands pressing tightly against her ears, muttering something incoherent under her breath. Mack tried to speak, but nothing was coming out as she stumbled out of the room. He was alone.  
Agony swept through his body, and he staggered over to his phone.  
"I need an ambulance, I've been stabbed. Home Farm, quick." 

Jamie Tate had been trying to get hold of Mack all afternoon, he wanted to know what they were going to have for tea. The man was only meant to be his bodyguard, but somehow he had integrated himself into his life. They often ate together, occasionally put on some TV or a film, and pretty much did everything together. It made sense he supposed, they were the only people in the village who liked each-other. He was his only friend.  
The door to Home Farm was wide open when he arrived back. It gave him an odd, weary feeling as he entered his home. Peering around he shouted,  
"Anyone here? Mackenzie?"  
"Jamie, I..."  
A weak voice came from the kitchen. Jamie followed it and found a large pool of blood. With Mackenzie Boyd slumped in the middle.  
"Shit! What the hell happened? Mack!"  
Millions of thought ran through Jamie's head. His breathing hitched, his heart-rate quickened. Not right now, he thought, he wasn't had one for months, not now.  
"A girl...thought I was you...had knife...called ambulance...not her fault." Mack's hand tried to reach out, his breathing was slowing down calmly.  
Jamie rushed over, blood coating his shoes. Thinking quickly, he grabbed a tea towel and lifted Mack up slowly and applied pressure.  
"There you go, I've got you. You're going to be ok."  
"Really? 'Cause it kind of feels like I'm dying." Mack let out a breathless laugh. Blinking back unexpected tears, Tate instinctively grabbed his hand and inter-locked their fingers.  
"Don't you dare say that. The ambulance is on it's way, you just have to hang in there. You'll be fine."  
"My legs, I can't really feel them. What if," a wheezy breath led to a coffing fit, "I'm...paralyzed."  
Jamie squeezed his hand tighter.  
"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it."  
They gave each other unconvincing smiles.  
"We?" Mack asked.  
"Yes, of course 'we.' You're the only friend I've got. I really like you Mack, I'm not letting you go that easily."  
"We should get a proper drink sometime."  
"I'd like that."  
A pair of eyes shut.  
"No, no. Stay with me lad. Please, stay with me."  
As Jamie shook at pulled him in closer, the paramedics arrived. The moments after were all a blur. Jamie doesn't remember getting on the ambulance, his hand still clutching onto Mackenzie's. If he focused, he could vaguely remember Mack being rushed into surgery, their hands being ripped apart and being escorted into the relatives room. It was at the point, he thinks, when looked down at his quivering hands and stared at the blood that was drying onto them. 

All of a sudden, Mack was unconscious in bed, Jamie sat at his side. A doctor walked in, grabbing his attention.  
"Are you family?"  
"It's just me and him." It was true.  
"Well, Mr Boyd was lucky. He lost a lot of blood and if he went much longer without surgery he would have died. However, we do believe there was some damage to his spine. Untill we run some further tests, we won't know how much. We are almost certain, that if he is paralyzed, it won't be permanent."  
A relieved sigh escaped Jamie's chest. He hadn't realised how much he cared.  
"Thanks Doctor."  
"Shout if you need anything." 

It was a good few hours before Mack's eyelids began to flicker. Jamie hadn't left his bedside, and certainly hadn't let go of that hand. He edged forward, and squeezed it tighter.  
"Mack, hey. Wakey wakey."  
He was embarrassed at how soft he sounded.  
"Ugh, I feel awful"  
"Yeah, you look it too."  
They both laughed at that, before Mack arched his back in pure pain.  
Once again acting on his instincts, Jamie reached out and put his other hand on Mackenzie's head. Stroking it softly, he whispered,  
"Rest lad, you need to rest."  
"Never been much good at that."  
It certainly hadn't gone unnoticed now early Mack appeared at Home Farm every morning, and how late he left.  
"Yeah, I've worked that out. Please sleep, if you don't get better we can't go get that drink."  
"Still up for that then?"  
"Of course, I'm looking forward to it."  
They sat there in silence for little while. Hands were still clasped together, and one was still stroking the other's hair.  
"I'm sorry," Jamie whispered.  
Mack turned his head to look at Jamie as much as he could,  
"What, why?"  
"It's my fault, Belle was after me. She's ill because of me. I messed her up. You could have died."  
"I don't blame you."  
"I don't know why I care so much but If I had lost you, I don't know what I would have done. It terrified me."  
Their eyes met, brown on brown.  
"Trust me, I don't get why I care about you either. But, when I realised that I had been stabbed, the first person I thought about was you."  
Everything suddenly became a lot softer. Jamie's hand ran through Mack's hair, edging him closer. Gently hovering over him, their noses bonded as their eyes shut.  
Mack's lips were rough and masculine and tasted of strong coffee and rivers. Jamie's were softer, with a hint of champagne. One pushed while the other pulled, one gave while the other took.  
They had to pull apart quicker than they wanted, Mack too drowsy to get too passionate. Neither minded really. Jamie stayed perched on the bed, their hands still tightly interlaced. They weren't to be broken any time soon.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't write kissing scenes.
> 
> Petition for Jamie x Mack to become canon 🙌
> 
> P.S. Eden (Belle) was astounding in this weeks episodes, so kudos to her and give her an award!!


End file.
